BACKGROUND: Peripheral thrombolysis is an indispensible tool in the treatment of occlusive peripheral vascular disease (PVD). However, the use of intravascular thrombolytic agents carries a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to review a contemporary series of patients treated with catheter-directed thrombolytics in the ...

The microdialysis technique was evaluated as a possible method to obtain local measurements of biochemical markers from knee joints with degenerative changes. Seven patients scheduled for arthroscopy of the knee due to minor to moderate degenerative changes had microdialysis catheters inserted under ultrasonographic guidance, intraarticularly and in the synovium-close tissue. ...

The purpose of this study was to assess the technical success rate and adverse events (AEs) associated with ultrasound (US)-guided radiological placement (RP) of a central venous port (CVP) via the subclavian vein (SCV). Between April 2006 and May 2007, a total of 500 US-guided RPs of a CVP via ...

Balloon catheter dilation of diseased sinus ostia has recently demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of chronic sinus disease with 2 years of follow-up. Similar to sinus surgery, initial studies of partial resection of inflamed mucosa from within the cartilaginous eustachian tube (ET) have demonstrated efficacy and safety in ...

Catheter-related bacteremia is a frequent complication associated with the use of tunneled hemodialysis catheters. Catheter-related bacteremia can lead to metastasis of infection to other sites. This article presents 2 patients with transvenous pacemakers (placed >2 years ago) who were receiving long-term hemodialysis therapy using tunneled hemodialysis catheters. Both were admitted ...

To investigate whether maximal sterile barrier precautions (MSBPs) during central venous catheter (CVC) insertion are truly effective in preventing catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) in patients in general surgical units. The reported effectiveness of MSBPs was based on the results of a single-center randomized controlled trial by Raad et al and ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the impact of transradial catheterization with hydrophilic-coated catheter sheaths versus uncoated sheaths on NO-mediated endothelial-dependent and -independent vasodilator function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-five subjects undergoing transradial catheterization were recruited and assessed before and the day after catheterization. A subgroup was also ...

Background: The tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC) is used as a bridge access for hemodialysis. Few prospective studies have been designed to evaluate conversion from non-tunneled to TCC without the use of fluoroscopy when performed by nephrologists. Methods: We performed an observational prospective cohort in incident patients receiving hemodialysis through a ...

OBJECT: Catheter-related infection of CSF is a potentially life-threatening complication of external ventricular drainage (EVD). When using EVD catheters, contact between the ventricular system and skin surface occurs and CSF infection is possible. The aim of this analysis was to compare the efficacy of silver-bearing EVD catheters for reducing the ...

Fenestrated stent grafting has allowed the treatment of complex thoraco-abdominal aneurysm disease via a totally endovascular approach, but the procedure can be technically challenging and time consuming. We investigated whether this procedure may be enhanced by remotely steerable robotic endovascular catheters. A four-vessel fenestrated stent graft partially deployed within a ...

To assess the implementation and utility of US for assisting peripheral venous access in a paediatric ED. A prospective, observational study of a convenience sample comparing the landmark and US-guided technique for peripheral vascular access in children from July 2006 to February 2007. Clinicians involved under went 3 months of ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between the position of the intrathecal baclofen therapy catheter with the clinical outcome and response to the spasticity. METHODS AND RESULTS: A prospective cohort study was done by reviewing the paediatric group of patients with spasticity of cerebral origin who had insertion of a programmable ...

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter displacement is a major cause of dysfunction. Various catheter forms have been designed to improve outcome. One of them is based on the classical Tenckhoff catheter, but includes a small tungsten cylinder at the distal end to optimize location and to prevent dislocations. ♢ In this ...

BACKGROUND: Bacteremia is a major cause of morbidity in patients using intravascular catheters. Interdialytic locking with antibiotics decreases the incidence of bacteremia, but risks antibiotic resistance. Taurolidine is a nontoxic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that has not been associated with resistance. Preliminary evidence suggests that taurolidine-citrate locks decrease bacteremia, but cause ...

BACKGROUND: Cryoablation with 4- and 6-mm tip ablation catheters has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in the treatment of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) in pediatric patients, albeit with a higher rate of clinical recurrence. Limited information is available regarding efficacy, mid-term outcomes, and complications related to the ...

This study tested the hypothesis that, in continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) under ultrasound guidance, placing a catheter perpendicular to the nerve can shorten the time of catheter insertion while providing a similar quality of analgesia compared with placing a catheter parallel to the nerve. Fifty patients undergoing total knee ...

OBJECTIVE: Compared to the well-established stimulating catheter technique, the use of ultrasound guidance alone for interscalene perineural catheter insertion is a recent development and has not yet been examined in a randomized fashion. We hypothesized that an ultrasound-guided technique would require less time and produce equivalent results compared to electrical ...

Temporary vascular access catheters (VACs) are important devices used in acute blood purification therapies. The aim of this study was to determine whether a catheterization duration of 2 weeks increased the risk of nosocomial complications when compared with a 1-week duration. Fifty-six patients with 90 double lumen VACs were randomly ...

Stimulating catheters provide feedback regarding the location of the catheter tip in relation to the target nerve or plexus. There is debate concerning whether stimulating catheters may reduce the failure rate of postoperative analgesia or whether they may enhance functional recovery by providing superior and more reliable postoperative analgesia. Studies ...

BACKGROUND: Peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) serve as an alternative to short-term central venous catheters (CVCs) for providing intravenous (IV) access in the hospital. It is not clear which device has a lower risk of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). We compared CVC- and PICC-related CLABSI rates in the ...

Continuous wound infusion of local anesthetics is effective in postoperative pain management and may be useful in major joint arthroplasty, but the optimal technique for postoperative administration of local anesthetics in the wound awaits trials evaluating the optimal type of catheter (single-, few-, or multiholed catheters). Sixteen patients undergoing total ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The insertion of central venous catheters via the external jugular vein (EJV) is not always practical because of the relatively frequent failure rate; thus, the internal jugular approach is generally used. Data from the literature suggest that ultrasound-guided catheterization of the internal jugular vein is superior to ...

PURPOSE: We investigated whether inserting an intrathecal catheter and leaving it in place for 24 h after an unintentional dural puncture in orthopedic patients reduced the incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH). METHODS: The study consisted of 427 patients in whom a total of 21 unintentional dural punctures had occurred ...

Routine catheterization following vaginal prolapse surgery has advantages like prevention of postoperative retention of urine and prevention of any adverse effect on surgical outcome. However, it increases the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), prevent early ambulation and prolong hospital stay. This randomized controlled trial was done on how best ...

The formation of catheter tip granulomas is an increasingly observed serious complication of intrathecally administered medication. This complication, which is frequently associated with neurological disturbances, has previously been attributed to high dosages and high concentrations of intrathecal morphine. Much less commonly, intrathecal hydromorphone and intrathecal baclofen have also been associated ...

PURPOSE: There has been a paucity of data regarding the efficacy and safety of small-bore chest tubes (pigtail catheter) for the management of pneumothorax in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of mechanically ventilated patients who underwent pigtail catheter drainage as their initial therapy for pneumothorax in ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Technical modalities for the evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas are still controversial. The Twist-Drill technique with closed-system drainage is becoming more widely used, but the influence of drainage duration on outcome has not been studied yet and therefore is still being debated. METHODS: A prospective randomized study ...

Bacteremia associated with tunneled central venous catheters (CVC) is a major complication in hemodialysis patients. Strategies that aim to prevent catheter-related bacteremia (CRB), ranging from the application of topical antibiotics to the use of different catheter-lock solutions, have been studied, but limited interest has been shown about following standardization of ...

BACKGROUND: Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) results in significant attributable morbidity and mortality. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we studied the efficacy and safety of a daily ethanol lock for the prevention of CRBSI in patients with a tunnelled central venous catheter (CVC). METHODOLOGY: From 2005 through 2008, each lumen ...

The advent of endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR), especially relying on valve technology to achieve atelectasis, has aroused new interest in the assessment of collateral ventilation, which has been implicated in ELVR failures. We are reporting on the use of a catheter-based device that measures airway pressures and flows, and ...

This study compares the methods of Dunn and Shukla in determining the appropriate insertion length of umbilical catheters. In July 2007, we changed our policy for umbilical catheter insertions from the method of Dunn to the method of Shukla. We report our percentage of inaccurate placement of umbilical-vein catheters (UVCs) ...

Percutaneous peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter manipulation successfully corrects displacement and contributes to catheter salvage. We describe a new device for the percutaneous treatment of malpositioned PD catheters, the modified Malecot introducer technique, which is an improvement over previous methods because its flexible consistency also allows the manipulation of swan-neck catheters. ...

Infection of permanent catheters (Permcath) in hemodialysis (HD) patients can lead to catheter removal. The successful use of an antibiotic-lock to treat infection has reported good results in the treatment of catheters' infections. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the intraluminal vancomycin in comparison with intravenous antibiotic ...

Tinzaparin offers some advantages over unfractionated heparin (UFH) for hemodialysis circuit anticoagulation. No study has compared these two molecules as hemodialysis catheter locks. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of tinzaparin and UFH as locks for hemodialysis tunnelled central venous catheter in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). A ...

INTRODUCTION: Access to the circulation is mandatory for adequate treatment in medical emergency situations. Intraosseous (IO) infusion is a safe, fast, and effective alternative for gaining access to the circulation, if intravenous access fails. In the last decade, the IO method gained renewed interest. New devices have been developed, such ...

The downward directed exit of the swan neck catheter may decrease the risk of exit-site infection (ESI). The percentage of migrations of the swan neck catheter seems to be less than the conventional Tenckhoff catheter and the swan neck catheter is more expensive and cannot be manipulated by guidewire technique ...

The most appropriate time to initiate dialysis after surgical insertion of Tenckhoff catheters is not clear in the literature. There is the possibility of peritoneal dialysis (PD) complications such as leakage and infection if dialysis is started too soon after insertion. However, much morbidity and expense could be saved by ...